Romantic Thursday Review: Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare

It’s Romantic Thursday with Bookmunchies! So why is Thursday romantic? Because I like Thursday and I like romance! Basically, I just love romance, in YA books, in adult, contemporary, historical, whichever the genre and sometimes I’m too lazy to write full reviews but I do love sharing fun quotes or just gushing about characters. So that’s what Romantic Thursday is for! To share my love. May it be through actual full reviews, quick reviews, or just fun quotes.

In the first in Tessa Dare’s captivating Castles Ever After series, a mysterious fortress is the setting for an unlikely love . . .

As the daughter of a famed author, Isolde Ophelia Goodnight grew up on tales of brave knights and fair maidens. She never doubted romance would be in her future, too. The storybooks offered endless possibilities.

Now Izzy’s given up yearning for romance. She’ll settle for a roof over her head. What fairy tales are left over for an impoverished twenty-six year-old woman who’s never even been kissed?

This one.

Review:

So it’s pretty early in the year, but already I think this will probably be one of my favourite HR of 2014. Romancing the Duke is a super adorable and whimsically enchanting romance.

To everyone, Isolde Ophelia Goodnight (see, already just her name is whimsical!) will always be the young girl listening to her father’s stories, but now she’s grown up and without a penny to her name. Storybook endings have become overrated. But than she inherits a castle, and things are finally looking up. Little did she know that the castles comes with not-so-shining shining knight to rescue her, whether he likes it or not. I liked Izzy. She’s so forthright. and I always love a heroine who’s aware of the ridiculousness that follows her.

She covered her face with one hand and moaned. “Why must this be so mortifying? Oh, that’s right. Because it’s my life.

She knows that world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The most unfortunate and weirdest things happens to her, and yet she strives on.

And ever since I was a little girl,” she whispered, “I’ve dreamed of my first kiss. I just knew in my heart that it would be romantic and tender and knee-melting sweet.”

“Well, now you know you were wrong. By this age, you should be accustomed to disappointment.”

“That’s where you’re mistaken.” Her grip tightened on his shirtfront. “I’ve started fighting against it. You’re not going to ruin my first kiss. I won’t let you. You’re going to kiss me again, right now. And make it better.”

Ransom Vane, Duke of Rothbury. The most unexpected hero ever is simply amazing. He starts off as your typical brooding, injured hero, but he ends up being the perfect knight for Izzy. He actually has a disability (one which I think we don’t see much with heroes) that he manages and it also gives us tons of super cute moments of Izzy and Ransom. He likes to act the bad guy, but he’s just fantastic(ly hilarious).

Her hair truly did look like an octopus. It was the way she wore it, he thought. Or maybe the way it wore her. It all sat perched on her head in a big, inky blob. […] Of course it was an entrancing, strangely erotic octopus. Ransom worried this might be how fetishes developed.

The story was entertaining, laced with lots of hilarity (which included a medieval LARPing kinda thing going on). While time frame (I believe) is more regency, because most of the story happens in the deserted castle, it has more of medieval, fairy tale feel to it. This story is definitely character based since there’s little interact with society, which was fine and dandy for me as I loved the interactionn between Izzy and Ranson. I love that Ransom sees Izzy in a light that no one seems too, it gives her freedom to be who she is instead of the girl in her father’s stories. And likewise, Izzy see’s more than just the dark, broody duke in Ransom. They’re just so adorable together.

“It’s no use being stern,” she told him. “Glower all you like, but for heaven’s sake, you gathered me into your arms and carried me in from the rain. I could swoon all over again just thinking of it.”

“Don’t mistake that for chivalry.”

“Then what was it?”

“Practicality. I couldn’t have simply left you there. You would have attracted vermin.”

She smiled. “Oh, dear. All this and a sense of humor, too.”

Overall, it’s an easy and fun read. If you’re looking for whimsical romance with some humour on the road to that happily ever after, this one is a charmer.

(You can really tell I liked this books because of all the quotes. I went a little highlight happy with all the parts I liked..there’s so many more I want to sharrree.)

{* Thanks to the Avon and Edelweiss for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I agree. In my post is said I didn’t know how Tessa Dare came up with the ideas for her series but I was really glad she did. I loved Romancing the Duke and can’t wait to see what is next for the series.